Show MODERN there is a popular understanding that the presbyterian denomination is very rigid and uncompromising in respect to doctrine and belief that in these matters it is one of the st ernest of the protestant sects and that it looks upon heresy among either its clergy or laity with the severest condemnation dem nation but if the rev T P a presbyterian minister ot troy 11 Y can be relied upon as an expounder of the views of his denomination it is far more liberal than it is popularly supposed to be certain it is that until recent years no clergyman in it could retain his pulpit and teach the views of rev H he says as reported in the troy press now the presbyterian church honors paul as ae the first and foremost of its hu man leaders it unequivocally assenath to the doctrines and principles hl hi promulgated when interpreted in accordance cor dance with the spirit and mind of christ it differs from other churches which find their infallibility in an organism call edthe church or in the formulas mulas and creeds and symbols that are the expression of the ap opinions intong of the fathers it differs also from churches because it looks theo lotfy ao a with avei widening and on an ever en ea at truth it belt evea in the of godt word bw but it does not claim to have reached that finality therefore it looks nit erge creeds do and confessions as rha marks lits ot of progress in ss and signs of growth so ftc BB as I 1 know there Is no presbyterian thiat tak regards the confession of faith as taft ultimate truth but on the other hand all regard it as a help in the attain attainment meni of the truth contained in the tures now it Is important to note this fact because there are many bembera mem bera of the church who are troubled with doubts as to their right of membership they no longer believe in all the state ments of confession I 1 will not say that tbt in all cases they have arisen above these because it is quite possible that they have fallen below them dental denial id 16 not always a sign of growth and rebellion to is not always conducive to independence pen dence men have sometimes surrendered faith and accepted in its place ft superstition rejecting the truth they have come to believe in an a lie but ot or din artly a departure from a standard a rises arises from a conviction it does not the truth thit conviction grows until one finds apparently out oat of harmony with thal th creed h b once professed no now whid what ought one to do under such circum stances I 1 cannot tell what a methodist or EL a baptist or an episcopalian or er a unitarian ought to do for I 1 do hot know those faiths thoroughly awl should doubt my ability to state them fairly but I 1 know what a ought to do I 1 should direct such so aft one to the law and the testimony what then is required of a member in ft presbyterian church it may suilo 0 some of you to know that our church requires no one to submit to a 9 cal examination as a condition of barship alone we admit children and unlearned per persona to full member membership aMP and I 1 it would be absurd to ask aak them to subscribe 60 to a creed we also admit by letter persons persona from any christian communion and do not nat ask them to abb 00 scribe to our creed nor to reject thur their own there are in this church natives from all christian denot nak eions alons and for aught I 1 know and to aught the church knows some of t them may hold to baptism by immers immersion some to the thirty nine articles SOTO to the doctrines of wesley an and some to the views of the andover p profess rot es ortt 11 but however divergent they may beila be in their opinions in theology or ph philosophy pbs they meet together in their devotion to jesus christ as the messenger truth and the savior of men the common covenant for those whim h a enter the church de novo and for who come in by letter to is that they cordially engage to walk in the ship ordinances and discipline of tw 1 gospel and to strive so to cultivate 1 I 1 and exhibit the graces graced of the a as to promote their own salvation 9 aid 1 1 the salvation of others the Conlee aratt of faith is not even m mentioned in the form of admission and so fa far r as my experience goes it Is never referred to in the examination of candidates the goepp gospel 1 I is the sole rule of faith waft kno morals so far then as lay members is concerned a trial for heresy in tt presbyterian church find and would be andia and if 0 ott were to withdrew withdraw from the church ow doctrinal grounds I 1 know not wl where kere tw could go and find greater liberality to persons familiar with om old fabb lond it will be war to learn leairn that a member of I 1 christian deMi denomination nation can be contel A member in good tand ln of a PreB bys con co on without oart quin quetel qu etil bl or of 0 m regarding ate viers mid ana merely ow aff a aletter beuer ifa still brei to jam leta m of 0 a ly IT mem bier be W b lier tsia ho tor for the WHOM bellve W mft I 1 suppose a mormon on should ask sa ad by letter to a presbyterian congregation what then or suppose a member of nuch auch a congregation should announce his bellef belief in the divine authenticity of the book of at mormon would the former be given the right hand band ot fellowship and would the latter be permitted to retain his standing according to rev modern has become remarkably mar kably liberal in fact too liberal to be consistent or to long retain its identity for any religious society that tol orates among its members all forms and shades of religious belief cannot long perpetuate one of its ita own in troy seems to be a very different creed from presbyter laziere in utah for here it denies recognition tion even as christians to tens of thousands of people who most ardently belleve in christ as the son of god for no other reason ghazi that those people believe other scriptural doctrines which utah presbyterians rians reject the fact is that all the protestant creeds are crumbling the incon staten sta tendes Wes existing between betwee i them and the scriptures and between their own integral parts make IP 1 impossible to perpetuate them in the forms they have been wearing |